Safety draw-off apparatus for hot water systems



April 18,1933. E H RUPPERT 1,904,697

sAFTY DRM-OFF APPARATUS Fon HOT' WATER SYSTEMS Filed Maly 2l. 1929 XBX/1% JM@ 25 ence to the accompanying UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE EDWARDH. RUPPERT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW Yom;

SAFETY DRAW-OIF APPARATUS FOB HOT WATER SYSTEMS Application ld May 21,

The object of the present invention is to `provide a draw-off apparatus for hot water systems of such nature that the pipe lines and copper coils or heaters can be cleaned of rust and other solid formations through the flow of water under usual city street pressure and in such manner that the draw-OE faucet cannot be closed without automatically-re-establishing `the circuit between the cold water 10 feed, the heater and the storage tank. Also by turning on the draw-ofi' faucet for cleaning the heater, whether it be a coil heater or of other construction, the cold Water inlet to the heater is shut off without affecting circulation through the heater, which circulation will thenbe in a'reverse direction to the normal. Also ,in turningy on the draw-ot".` faucet to remove sediment from the storage tank, for example, the heater inletI is automatically shut oli, but in such manner that a vent is provided to prevent any explosion due to interruptionof normal circulation of water through the heater. i

The invention will be described wlth referdrawing, in Whih- Figure 1 is aplan view of the safety drawoi valve;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section thereofon the'line 2 2, Fig. 3, and

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. l; o

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view 1n elevation of the invention appliedto a water heating apparatus in which the heat is applied byagasiiame';

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view in elevation'of an. embodiment of the invention in which the heating element 'is a coaltankheater;l

Figure 6 is a view in-elevation of the embodiment of the invention in which the heating element comprises a heating boiler by means of which hot water, steam or vapor is circulated around coils through which the f water to be heated ispassed and Figure 7 is a view in elevation of an embodiment of the invention in which the heating element comprises a hea-ting boiler with- 5 in which a coil is placed threugh which the 1929. Serial No. 364,716.

coldV water is led, for example under city 55 pressure, through pipe 2. The house supply of hot water emerges through pipe 3. The heating element is a gas heater 4, the burner notbein shown. Within the gas heater is a coil 5 o copper or the like connected at its 6 base to a pipe 6 and connected at its upper end with a pipe 7 leading to and within tank lat itsA upper portion. .The base of tank 1 has connected therewith a pipe 8 and pipes 6 and 8 are connected with a safety draw-olil valve which will now be described.

The safety draw-off valve is illustrated in Figs. 1 to3 linclusive. It consists of a casing 9 having cast integrally therewith at its top the annular bearing boss 10.` Boss 10 is apertured to receive a stem 11 having secured thereto at its top the operating handle 12. .Surroundin the stem may be placed a packlng 13 at t e top of which is a rotatable packing-expander slve 14 threaded within' boss 10 and surrounding stem 11.

v Casing 9 is provided with oppositely disposed -internally threaded annular nipples 15, 15m. Nipple 15m receives pipe 6 and nipple 15 pipe Extending ata right angle to nipples 15, 15m is a third internally threaded nipple 16 into which is threaded a drawyoff short angularly bent outletpipe 17. In

pipe 17 may be cast 85 practice, however, outlet integrally with the cas1 At its lower end stem 11 isireduced and squared and fitted thereon is a'valve head 18 held in position by means of threaded stud 19. Valve head 18 is curved vrto closely conform with the inlet surfacesl of nipples 15, 15a: 90

1 and is closed by threaded plug 20. This 95 gate enables convenient assembly of the valve head and associated parts.

-Below Operating handle 12 may be placed a pointer 214 which will serve to indicate the position. of the valve head 18. Thus 100 mediate the said pipe and pipe connection is placed the .safety draw-offvalve indicated -.at 25. The tank'is shown at 1m and the through the heating elements of the heater 26 v Aheaterat26. Hot water is led from the heater to storage tank 1w via pipe 27. When it is desired to clean 'out the heater, the operating hand-le of safety valve 25, Fig. 5, is turned to shut oft pipe 24 which will automatically open outlet pipe 17. The water pressure through pipe 22 will cause a reversal of normal movement of the water, causing it to flow from the storage tank through pipe 27,

and out of the valve 25,all under pressure. If it is desired to'clean out the storage tank, the operating handle of the valve isturned to shut olf pipe 24m and water will flow under pressure through the tank through pipe 24 and out of the valve. This will affect a venting for the heater, in the sense that the Water displaced through pipe 24 will be compensated by cold water flowing through pipe 22 vwhich will rapidly take up and condense any steam which may be generated by the heater through interruption of normal circulation therethrough. The action in the case of the boiler, the valve being transfer chamber is a coil 32 which dis-`4 geas heater combination, shown in Fig. 4, will precisely the same as that just described with respect to Fig. 5.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the invention applied to la boiler type heater in which the boiler is indicated at 28. Hot water Vfrom the boiler passes through pipe 29 into a heat transfer chamber 30 and thence circulates back 'into the boiler through pipe 31 and a safety draw-olf valve 25m connected to the of a construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Within theheat charges into the storage tank 33 via pipe 34.

` At the inlet end of -coil 30 is placed a second safety draw-off valve 25mm of the construe? tion shown in Figs. 1 and 3 which receives cold water from the storage tank 33 via pipe 35. Hot water is led from the storage tank via pipe 36. Cold water passes to the storage ltank through pipe 37 When it is desired to` clean out the boiler and heat-transfer chamber, the operating handle of valve 25 is turned to simultaneously open the discharge pipe and shut 0E, in the first' instance, the lower boiler connection with the valve. The water within the heat transfer chamber will then pass downward and carry with it'the solid particles. By moving shut off the coil from the valve, the latter will 1 be automatically opened to enable passage of water from pipe 35 to the valve.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the invention applied to a fire pot generator, the heater being indicated at 38, having an interior chamber 39 within the fire box of a furnace or heating boiler and which receives cold water via pipe 40 and discharges hot water into storage tank 41 by means of a pipe 42. Connected with pipe 40 is a valve 43 constructed in accordance with Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

By turning operating handle of valve 43 to shut oif the storage tank from the coil 39, the valve will'be automatically opened and water under pressure induced by the cold water feed 44 will pass through the coil in a direction reverse to the normal direction of liquid movement, and thence out'lof the valve, to clean the coil.

It has heretofore been 'proposed to provide means for cleaning pressure water lines heated to high temperatures by providing in the lines shut-off valves and outlet valves.' Many explosions have been caused through the use of such means, because through careless operations the shut-olf valves have been kept closed after closing the draw-0E valves.

This cannot happen with the present system` tion. The labor costs involved are avoided by my invention. Furthermore the system may always continue to operate without danger.

Now referring to Fig. 4, if the conduit intermediate the heater and the tank had connected therewith a faucet or other ordinary draw-off valve and the same were opened for cleaning purposes, the water would'follow the path of least resistance and would iiow from the'base of the tank and cle-an out the latter without forming any-useful cleaning function in the heater coil, and the same principle would apply in the'case of each of the. three remaining combinations shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive. With my combination, however, the full pressure may be placed on either the heater or the tank simultaneously with opening the draw-E valve.

My invention may be used on the various types of heater combinations illustrated in the drawing and other t pes. In fact, on high pressure lines on all mds carrying oils and other liquids where it is dangerous Ato install shut-ofi:` valves.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows Safety draw-niil apparatus for vhot water systems 'comprising in combination with a heater having a water chamber, a storage pressure tank with a cold water inlet and a conduit connecting the heater and tank, of a draw-01T valve in the conduit having three passages, two conduit passages and one discharge passage independent of the conduit passages and adapted to discharge water from either the heater or the tank, and means whereby either conduit passage may be closed and closing said conduit passage is dependent upon opening the discharge passage. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD H. RUPPERT. 

